Controversy Surrounds ‘7 October’ Restaurant: Israeli Journalist Confrontation and Political Backlash in Jordan
Watan-A video has surfaced documenting a confrontation between an Israeli journalist and the owner of a restaurant named “7 October” in Jordan. Subsequently, authorities compelled the restaurant owner to remove the name from the facade, alleging a licensing violation.
The confrontation occurred between the correspondent of the Israeli channel Kan, Omri Hayim, who stated, “I wanted to inquire about the meaning of the name,” and the restaurant owner, who responded, “Why are you asking? What’s your concern? The name has no meaning.”
The Israeli correspondent then said, “No, the name is related to the Aqsa Flood (the operation carried out by Palestinian resistance on October 7th last year) or something similar to that.”
صحفي إسرائيلي يستجوب صاحب مطعم 7 أكتوبر حول مناسبة التسمية، قبل أن يزيل الأخير الاسم عن واجهة المطعم لاحقاً لأسباب تتعلق بالترخيص. pic.twitter.com/uPgSAjDg4A
— TRT عربي (@TRTArabi) January 26, 2024
The name of the restaurant ‘7 October’ attracts attention
While the restaurant owner denied this, the Israeli correspondent asked him about the reason for choosing the name “7 October” and inquired about what happened on that day. The restaurant owner replied, “It has nothing to do with you.”
The restaurant’s “7 October” name attracted attention, with videos showing the opening of a shawarma restaurant in the Karak Governorate in southern Jordan.
والله نحن الكركية ماالنا حل ‼️ تم افتتاح مطعم 7 أكتوبر في المزار الجنوبي / الكرك #هنا_الكرك#هنا_التاريخ#هنا_خشم_العقاب#طوفان_الاقصى #غزه_تقاوم_وستنتصر #فلسطين_قضية_الشرفاء pic.twitter.com/rbWQeUKFmp
— Abdulsalam Tarawneh (@AbdulsalamTara1) January 24, 2024
Israeli opposition leader comments on the restaurant’s name
It was named after the date when the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, launched the Battle of Aqsa Flood.
However, later images shared by activists on social media showed that the Jordanian authorities had removed the restaurant’s sign.
الأردن 🇯🇴
إفتتاح مطعم بإسم 7 أكتوبر في مدينة الكرك وبعد ذلك يتم إزالة الإسم⁉️ pic.twitter.com/8X9CDw3Q4B
— سحاب | sahab (@sahabnews1) January 27, 2024
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid commented on the restaurant’s name, condemning its opening and calling on the Jordanian government to publicly denounce the matter. Lapid stated on his platform, “The vile glorification of October 7th must stop, and we expect the Jordanian government to condemn this matter unequivocally.”
The disgraceful glorification of October 7th has to stop. The incitement and hatred against Israel breeds the terrorism and extremism which led to the brutal massacre of October 7th.
We expect the Jordanian government to condemn this publicly and unequivocaly https://t.co/KwyeqHAiXO
— יאיר לפיד – Yair Lapid (@yairlapid) January 25, 2024
